Alex Antetokounmpo, the brother of Bucks superstar and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, will opt to skip college basketball and play in Europe next season.
The youngest of the Antetokounmpo brothers, Alex isn't one of the most highly-touted prospects in the high school class of 2020; Rivals has him as the No. 44 overall power forward in the country. But he did have several mid-major offers and received interest from some Big Ten schools, including Wisconsin and Iowa. He averaged 20.0 points and 7.3 rebounds as a senior at Dominican High School in Wisconsin.
"I want to become a pro as soon as possible," Antetokounmpo told Eurohoops.net. "I was born and raised in Europe, I know European basketball and the best thing for me would be to sign a contract with a European club. I will have to train and compete against grown men, I will experience strong competition and pressure and I will evolve on every level."
MORE: Zion Williamson's former agent alleges he received impermissible benefits to attend Duke
Antetokounmpo plans to use his experience in Europe to prepare for the 2021 NBA Draft. If he is selected or signed as an undrafted free agent next year, he'll be the fourth Antetokounmpo brother to make it to the league. Thanasis plays with Giannis on the Bucks, and Kostas plays with the Lakers.
Alex Antetokounmpo is just the latest young player to spurn college basketball for the chance to play professionally. While college basketball may not miss him the way it'll miss Jalen Green, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2020 who will play in the G-League next season, Antetokounmpo's name alone might have been enough to generate interest among fans, something the sport has struggled with the last few years outside of the month of March.
It's an issue the NCAA is well aware of, and potential solutions have been considered in recent months, including the possibility of allowing players to seek their own endorsement deals. Until that change is made official, though, it wouldn't be surprising to see more players take this route.